Councilwoman Mourned; Mansion Demolished: Top New Hope Stories In 2023

NEW HOPE BOROUGH, PA — The sudden passing of New Hope Borough Councilwoman Laurie McHugh in August stunned the riverfront communities of New Hope and Lambertville where she lived and worked.

McHugh came to Borough after a long career in international real estate investment and quickly made an impact as a visionary and as a leader.

McHugh, 58, the vice president of the New Hope Borough Council, died at St. Mary Medical Center in August after sustaining serious injuries in an accident on Route 413 near Upper Mountain Road in Buckingham Township.

McHugh was first elected to Council beginning in 2016 and quickly earned a reputation as a thoughtful, fair, and professional representative of New Hope’s diverse residents and businesses.

She also was the co-founder of the Bucks County Dragon Boat Association and the CEO and founder of Union in Lambertville, New Jersey, which opened its doors in 2023 as the city’s first authorized craft cannabis dispensary.

Her death came a week after she attended ca lengthy and at times contentious meeting in which council voted to drop its plans for the development of a borough-owned parking garage.

Also in 2023, the New Hope Borough Council approved demolition plans for Cintra Mansion and launched a search for a new police chief following the announcement that Chief Michael Cummings would be retiring in early 2024.

Here are some of the headlines making news in 2023 in New Hope:

New Hope Councilwoman Remembered As A Visionary And A Leader

Laurie McHugh, the co-founder of the Bucks County Dragon Boat Association and the founder and CEO of Union Chill in Lambertville, died in August following an automobile accident on Route 413 in Buckingham Township.

Parking Garage Project Off The Table In New Hope Borough

After spending $600,000 to investigate the idea of building a parking garage and two years of community debate, the New Hope Borough Council at its August council meeting voted 4 to 3 to abandon the project, drawing and standing ovation and loud applause from the audience in attendance.

New Hope Borough Council Approves Demolition of Cintra Mansion

In January 2023, the New Hope Borough Council voted unanimously to grant a demolition permit for the Centra Mansion, which has overlooked Bridge Street since the early 1800s. The request for demolition came from renowned architect J. Robert Hillier who razed the existing structure and plans to reconstruct the mansion as part of the redevelopment of the property.

New Hope Borough Police Chief Announces Plans To Retire

After serving 15 years as New Hope Borough Police Chief Michael Cummings will be retiring in early 2024.

'Landing' Developer Seeking Variance Relief For Hotel Plan In New Hope

The zoning hearing board began what was expected to be a lengthy series of hearings on an application to redevelop the Landing site. A year's end, after only two hearings, the project was in a holding pattern as the developer worked on revised plans for the project.